The Revue Spirite of 1862

Part 11

We continue in  this issue the study of the Revue Spirite corresponding to the year of 1862. The condensed text of the mentioned volume will hereby be presented in sixteen parts, based on the translation of Julio Abreu Filho and published by EDICEL.

Issues for discussion

A. What happened to the bishop who determined the so-called Act of Faith of Barcelona?

B. How does St. Augustine define the religion of God?

C. Was Krishna also a reincarnationist?

Text for reading

112. Lamennais says that war is allowed by God and that it is a mistake to see in Caesar but a conqueror, in Clovis but a barbarian, in Charlemagne but a despot. (Page 217)

113. As they say, the conquerors are God’s tools, and they use men to civilize man, taking development to other nations, as well as the ideals and, consequently, progress. (Page 217)

114. On the same subject, Barbaret, who lived at the time of Henry IV, says that the influence of men of genius on the future of the peoples is undeniable, for without them the great reforms would only come much later. (Page 219)

115. Kardec analyzes the conference held at the Polytechnic Association by Dr. Trousseau, a professor of the Faculty of Medicine, in which the lecturer criticizes the scholars of the Academy of Sciences who address the charlatans, treats with disdain the experiences of Mesmer and attacks, as a result, the Spiritist communications and practices. (Pages 223 to 229)

116. The Revue reports the death of the bishop who determined the so-called Act of Faith of Barcelona. The death occurred nine months after the public burning of the Spiritist books, held on October 9, 1861. The fact produced an enormous expansion of the Spiritism in that country and was, therefore, innocuous. Communicating at the Spiritist Society of Paris, the bishop said he was sorry and asked for prayers. "Pray for me," pleaded the deceased. "Pray, for it is pleasing to God the prayer addressed to him by the persecuted in behalf of the persecutor". Kardec, of course, forgave him, because forgiving is also Charity. (Pages 230 to 232)

117. The death of Daniel Dunglas Home's wife, reported by the NORD newspaper on 7/15/1862, is mentioned by the Revue. The reporter says that the lady, before her last breath, abjured the Greek religion in the presence of the bishop of Perigueux to join the same belief of her husband, a follower of Roman Catholicism. Home told the paper that he and his wife continued to see each other and talk as easily as when she still lived in this world. (Page 232)

118. The Spirit of Jacques, speaking to the African Society of Spiritist Studies, formed at Constantine, says that before making the specific evocations, one must begin the meeting with a general evocation, a plea to the Good Spirits, who wish to communicate spontaneously. Only then will the personal evocations begin. (Page 233)

119. Invited to be the spiritual patron of the Society, St. Augustine accepted the task and transmitted a message, from which we copy the following: I - All men are brothers and the great object of Spiritism is to reunite them one day in the same home and make them sit at the table of the common Father: God. II - Love one another, love one another! Spare me from taking the whip with which the evil is to be wounded. Although this is sometimes necessary, do not ever be the one to do so. III - Remember that the religion of God is the religion of the heart; that it is based on only one principle: Charity, and development: love of Humanity. (Pages 234 to 236)

120. The Revue copies the letter sent by Mr. Jean Reynaud, author of the book "Terre et Ciel", to the Journal des Debats, protesting against being classified as a partisan of pantheism and metempsychosis. In his book, Jean Reynaud defends the doctrine of reincarnation, repelling, however, with all the emphasis, metempsychosis. (Pages 237 and 238)

121. From Nantes (France), a subscriber of the Revue sends a copy of the poem Mahabarata, in which Krishna clearly tells Arjuna, chief of the Pandus, that the soul passes to new bodies in its evolutionary process. Commenting on the subject, Kardec says that the idea of ​​reincarnation is very well defined in this passage, as, indeed, all Spiritist beliefs were in Antiquity. "Only one principle was missing: that of Charity," says the Encoder. "It was reserved for Christ to proclaim this Supreme Law, the source of all earthly and heavenly bliss". (Pages 239 and 240)

122. The planet Venus is considered by Georges an intermediate point between Mercury and Jupiter. Here is other information dictated by the said Spirit: I - The inhabitants of Venus have the same physical body as those of Earth. II Diseases are unknown there, and their inhabitants eat only fruits and dairy products, not having the barbaric custom of feeding on animal corpses. III - The political form has the expression of the family: each tribe has its head, elected by age class. IV - Old age is the apogee of human dignity. Free from disease and ugliness, it is calm and radiant, like a beautiful autumn afternoon. V - The clothes are the same: large white robes cover their bodies. VI - Reincarnation is much longer in Venus than the earthly test. VII - On Venus they are not all on the same level of spiritual advancement, but the less advanced there are equivalent to the stars of the terrestrial world, that is, to our geniuses and our virtuous men. VIII - There is no bondage there: the superiors are not lords, but parents of the inferior ones. (Pages 240 to 244)

123. The Revue copies a letter written by a follower of Spiritism to the newspaper of Saint-Jean-d'Angely, protesting against the ironic and frivolous treatment given by the newspaper to supporters of the Spiritist Doctrine. (Pages 244 to 246) (Continues on next issue).

Answers to the issues

A. What happened to the bishop who determined the so-called Act of Faith of Barcelona?

The bishop, according to news published by the Revue, died nine months after the public burning of the Spiritist books, held on October 9, 1861. But when he communicated at the Spiritist Society of Paris, he said he was sorry and asked for prayers. "Pray for me," pleaded the deceased. "Pray, for it is pleasing to God to the prayer addressed to him by the persecuted in favor of the persecutor". Kardec evidently forgave him for this unfortunate act, since forgiving is also charity. (Revue Spirite of 1862, pages 230-232).

B. How does St. Augustine define the religion of God?

Invited to be the spiritual patron of the African Society of Spiritist Studies, formed in Constantine, St. Augustine accepted the task and transmitted a message, from which we copy the following: 1) All men are brothers and the great objective of Spiritism is to one day bring them together in the same home and make them sit at the table of the common Father: God. 2) Love each other, love each other! Spare me from taking a whip with which the evil is to be wounded. Although this is sometimes necessary, do not ever be one of those; 3) Remember that the religion of God is the religion of the heart; that it is based on only one principle: charity, and development: love of Humanity. (Ibid, pages 233-236).

C. Was Krishna also a reincarnationist?

Yes, and this is very clear in the Mahabarata poem, in which Krishna clearly tells Arjuna, chief of the Pandus, that the soul passes to new bodies in its evolutionary process. Commenting on the subject, Kardec said that the idea of ​​reincarnation is very well defined in this passage, as, in fact, all Spiritist beliefs were in Antiquity. "Only one principle was missing: that of Charity", says the Encoder. "It was reserved for Christ to proclaim this Supreme Law, the source of all earthly and heavenly bliss". (Ibid, pages 239 and 240)

Translation:

Eleni Frangatos - eleni.moreira@uol.com.br